Anatomy of the CVS Flashcards

1
Q

Where is the heart located?

A

Middle mediastinum (area between the pleural cavities)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

At what vertebral level is the top of the middle mediastinum?

A

Between T4 and T5

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What main type of tissue does not have a blood supply?

A

Cartilage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What tissues/organs do not receive lymphatic drainage?

A

Brain + spinal cord
Eyes
Bone marrow

(cartilage?)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the 2 main circulations of the CVS?

A

Pulmonary

Systemic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What 2 other ‘circulations’ are present in the body that are associated with the CVS?

A

Hepatic portal circulation

Lymphatic circulation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the hepatic portal circulation?

A

Circulation that links the digestive tract directly to the liver (“hepatic”) before continuing to the heart

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Describe each of the following for the pulmonary artery:

  • origin
  • main parts
  • relevant anatomical positions
A

Pulmonary trunk leaves Right ventricle

Trunk splits shortly after, into the left and right pulmonary arteries

Right pulmonary artery passes under aortic arch and behind the superior vena cava

Left pulmonary artery ends up passing behind the pulmonary vein (but this is not that close to the heart)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Describe each of the following for the aorta:

  • origin
  • main parts
  • relevant anatomical positions
A

Ascending Aorta leaves the left ventricle

Aortic arch - the vessel arches over the right pulmonary artery and continues downwards as the descending aorta

3 arteries leave the Aortic arch at its peak:

  • Bracheocephalic artery
  • Common Carotid artery
  • Left Subclavian artery
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What does the bracheocephalic artery continue to form?

A

Right subclavian & Right common carotid arteries

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is visible when looking at the heart anteriorly?

in the way it sits in the body

A

Right atrium & ventricle

Left ventricle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What chamber is the base of the heart?

A

Left atrium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Why does apex mean something different for the heart, than it does for the lungs?

A

The apex of the heart is at the bottom

Apex of the lungs are at the top

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What blood vessels run parallel with the vertebral column?

in the abdominal area

A

Vena Cava

Descending aorta

Azygos vein

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

In the recumbent position, the heart lies between what vertebral levels?

A

T5-T8

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Describe the surface anatomy position of the apex of the heart

A

Left ventricle - 5th left intercostal space in the midclavicular line

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Where is the Base of the heart located?

A

In front of the oesophagus

Moves up and down with breaths

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How does the position of the heart different in children?

A

Higher up and lies more horizontal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is situs inversus?

A

congenital condition in which the major visceral organs are reversed or mirrored from their normal positions. The normal arrangement of internal organs is known as situs solitus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is Situs inversus’s effect on the heart?

A

Dextrocardia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What lies anteriorly to the heart

A

Sternum and costal cartilages 4-7

Anterior edges of the lungs and pleurae

Thymic remnants

Sternal angle in line with the aortic arch

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What lies posteriorly to the heart?

A

Oesophagus

Descending aorta

Thoracic vertebrae

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What lies laterally to the heart?

A

Lungs

Phrenic nerve

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What lies inferiorly to the heart?

A

Central tendon of the diaphragm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Describe the different layers of the heart

A

Endocardium (innermost):

  • Epithelium
  • Basement memb
  • Connective tissue

Myocardium - muscle

Epicardium (outermost):

  • CT
  • BM
  • Visceral pericardium (epicardium epithelium)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

How is the serous pericardium similar to the pleura?

A

Double layered, with (pericardial) in the middle

Inner layer is the epithelial layer of the epicardium (visceral layer of the serous pericardium)

Outer layer is the Parietal layer of the pericardium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What encloses the parietal layer of the serous pericardium?

A

Fibrous pericardium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Which layer of the heart wall is thinnest and which is thickest?

A

Endocardium is the thinnest

Myocardium is thickest

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Describe the structure of the endocardium

A

Simple squamous epithelium sitting on basement membrane

Sits on connective tissue

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

What important structures in the heart are formed from the endocardium?

A

Valves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Describe the structure of the myocardium

A

Branching fibres of myocytes (cardiac muscle)

Striated, mononucleate muscle with lots of mitochondria and a rich capillary bed

Muscle bundles in different planes to close down chamber lumen

Intercalated discs connect individual cells:

  • Gap junctions
  • Desmosomes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Describe the structure of the epicardium

A

Simple squamous epithelium sitting on basement membrane, attached to connective tissue

Epithelium also known as visceral layer of the serous pericardium

Contains main branches of coronary arteries

May be fatty

33
Q

The left border of the heart corresponds with which chamber?

A

Left ventricle

34
Q

The right border of the heart corresponds with which chamber of the heart?

A

Right atrium

remember the hearts kinda tilted so that the right side faces down and out

35
Q

What are the main abnormalities associated with the valves of the heart?

A

Incompetence = widening

Stenosis = narrowing

36
Q

Aside from structural abnormalities, what else can happen to cause harm to the valves of the heart?

A

Bacterial endocarditis infection

37
Q

What are the atrio-ventricular valves?

A

Mitral & tricuspid

38
Q

What is the collective name for the aortic and pulmonary valves?

A

Semi-lunar valves

39
Q

What is the cardiac skeleton?

A

Dense connective tissue thing that lies in the plane between the atria and ventricles

40
Q

What is the function of the cardiac skeleton?

A

Structural support:

  • Atrioventricular septum
  • Roots of great vessels
  • Anchorage for valves
  • Myocytes/capillary network

Electrical insulation:

  • Atria from ventricles
  • Myocardium from great vessels
41
Q

What are the coronary arteries?

A

Two arteries (left & right)

Located in epicardium

Supply the myocardium

42
Q

Describe the blood flow through the coronary arteries and how this reaches the muscle tissue

A

At systole openings in aortic sinuses shielded by aortic valve cusps

At diastole elastic recoil of aorta closes aortic valve and blood enters arteries

At diastole myocardium relaxing and blood can flow into capillaries

43
Q

What 4 things hold the heart in place?

A
  • “Hangs” off great vessels
  • Dense connective tissue bag
  • Attachments
  • Lined by serous pericardium
44
Q

What is the heart ‘attached’ to?

A

Central tendon of diaphragm

Sternum

Roots of great vessels

45
Q

The serous pericardium cells secrete a fluid that acts as a lubricant

What is this called and how does this benefit the function of the serous pericardium?

A

Pericardial fluid

Allows the heart to slip about during cardiac cycle

46
Q

What 3 layers makes up the general structure of blood vessels?

A

Tunica adventitia (aka externa) - outermost

Tunica media

Tunica intima

47
Q

What 3 layers make up the heart wall?

A

Epicardium

Myocardium

Endocardium

48
Q

What makes up each layer of arteries?

A

Tunica adventitia:
- Fibrous connective tissue

Tunica media:

  • Muscle
  • Elastic tissue

Tunica intima:

  • Epithelium + basement membrane
  • Connective tissue
49
Q

How is the heart wall different from blood vessels in terms of what makes up the layers?

A

Broadly similar

except the heart’s outer layer (epicardium) has an epithelial layer and basement membrane as well as connective tissue

50
Q

What would you expect to find near a large artery?

A

An accompanying large vein

51
Q

Generally, how is arterial structure different from venous structure?

A

Arteries smaller diameter than accompanying vein

Arteries thicker wall than accompanying vein

Arteries thicc media, thin adventitia

Veins thin media, thicc adventitia

52
Q

Histologically, what appearance do veins often have?

A

Folded and floppy looking

53
Q

Which type of blood vessel has the largest total surface area within the entire CVS?

A

Capillaries

54
Q

What are the 2 types of arteries?

Give examples of each

A

Elastic - conducting arteries

  • Aorta
  • Common Carotid
  • Pulmonary

Muscular - distributing

  • Femoral
  • Radial
  • Coronary
55
Q

Why are elastic arteries necessary?

A

Stretches with systole

Recoils during diastole to maintain high pressure

Maintains a high pressure, smooth blood flow

56
Q

What causes elastic arteries to be elastic?

A

Lots of elastic fibres present in the Tunica media, and relatively little smooth muscle

Present in layers - laminae

Secreted by smooth muscle cells

57
Q

What do elastic arteries look like histologically?

A

Elastic fibres = blue/purple coloured

Elastic arteries have large blue area (Tunica media) which muscular arteries lack

58
Q

What do muscular arteries look like histologically?

A

Large tunica media - smooth muscle cells

Only elastic (blue) layers are present at the boundaries between the different tunica layers

  • These are very thin though
  • These layers are the Internal elastic lamina & Outer elastic lamina

Often, the tunica intima is bumpy looking at the edge

59
Q

How does the structure of arterioles differ from that of arteries?

A

No Tunica adventitia

Tunica media made up of 1 or 2 layers of smooth muscle cells (but it is still the thickest part)

No IEL and i assume no OEL

Rich sympathetic nerve innervation

Histological images are much closer up than artery photos. This means the nuclei of cells are more obvious

60
Q

How can arterioles have both local and systemic effects?

A

Can control blood flow to certain areas

Can also affect blood pressure (systemic)
- This is why blood pressure medication often targets smooth muscle receptors and makes them relax

61
Q

Describe the structure of capillaries and how they differ from other blood vessels

A

Only made of Tunica intima
- Endothelial cell + basement membrane

Very thin

  • 4-15µ average diameter
  • 1 RBC thin
62
Q

What type of cell allows capillaries to alter blood flow through them?

A

Pericytes - incomplete ring cells surrounding basement membrane that have contractile properties

63
Q

What are the 3 types of capillaries?

A

Continuous
- complete basal lamina and complete endothelial coverage

Fenestrated
- A couple holes in the endothelial layer but a complete basal lamina

Discontinuous
- fuck ton of holes in the endothelial layer and in the basal lamina

64
Q

Where are continuous capillaries found?

What are they good for?

A

Muscle, brain

Can control what leaves them, as they can only pass through the endothelial cells or through junctions

Great deal of control^

65
Q

Describe the uses of fenestrated capillaries

A

Used in endocrine glands - eg. kidney renal corpuscle

Have pores up to 100µm in diameter that stuff goes through

Also MAY contain protein diaphragms which only let stuff with the correct charge or molecular weight through

66
Q

What are the uses of discontinuous capillaries?

A

Liver, spleen, bone marrow

Free passage of fluid and cells out/in

67
Q

What are sinusoids?

A

Type of discontinuous capillary

Larger diameter

Tunica intima contains phagocytic cells

Found where lots of exchange takes place - eg. liver, some endocrine glands

68
Q

What allows the body to bypass capillary beds?

What is this called, and when is it used?

A

Precapillary SPHINCTAAA

These shut of capillaries and force blood to bypass them in a process called Arteriovenous shunts (AV shunts)

Useful in things like thermoregulation

69
Q

Describe the layer structure of veins

A

T.intima is thin

IEL and OEL thin or absent

T.media v thin or absent

T adventitia - collagenous tissue with some Smooth M

T. intima folds to forms valves to prevent back-flow

70
Q

Why are valves needed in veins but not in arteries?

A

Arteries are high pressure so there is no chance of backflow

Veins are low pressure

71
Q

What is the difference between superficial and deep veins?

A

Superficial:

  • Thick walled
  • Not supported or near arteries

Deep:

  • Thin walled
  • Accompany arteries
  • Surrounding support from deep fascia and muscles
72
Q

Why is it incorrect to call it ‘lymphatic circulation’?

A

It is not a circulation

Lymphatic system is open ended - it’s like tree roots sticking into the ground, whereas the circulatory system is like train network

73
Q

Where are lymph nodes commonly found?

A

found alongside major veins and around origins of major arteries

74
Q

What feature do both veins and lymph vessels have?

A

Valves

75
Q

Describe the main features of lymph vessels’ structure

A

Lined by very thin endothelium

No fenestrations

Absent / rudimentary basal lamina

Lumen maintained at –ve hydrostatic pressure

Anchoring filaments – fine collagenous filaments link endothelial cell to surrounding tissue keeping lumen open

No red blood cells in lumen

Valved

76
Q

Why can some blood vessels be described as organs by themselves?

A

They have a nerve supply:
- Either just sympathetic (skin) or both parasymp. and symp.

They have a blood supply:
- Vasa vasorum

They have lymphatic drainage:
- Tunica adventitia has lymphatic drainage

77
Q

What key feature can you use to differentiate blood vessels from nerves or lymph vessels?

A

Blood vessels = RBC’s will be visible

78
Q

In what ways are capillaries specialised for exchange?

A

Lots of them
- every tissue within 100m of one

Thin-walled
- presents a small diffusion barrier

Small diameter
- big surface area:volume ratio